Textbooks can miss complexity behind scenes

With my election as state representative, I moved from teaching government to governing. I am often asked if it works like I taught it or how the real world differs from the classroom version. As this session winds down, it seems an appropriate question.

Generally, what I’ve experienced I knew in my head; now I know it in a more personal way. For example, I knew of the power of committee chairmen to hold legislation; now I know how much that can depend on their personal views, and how this can impact legislation. It happened with the vote-by-mail bill, which had passed the committee but was pulled back by the chairman, because he did not like it, and it happened with several other bills this year.

I also have learned how difficult it can be to decide how to vote on major issues, which can become very complicated. Textbooks talk of elected officials voting according to their conscience or wishes of their constituents, but they cannot convey the inner conflict some decisions create, especially when the voice of their constituents is not clear. Often there are legitimate competing pressures from many different interests that must be carefully weighed. My decision on how to vote on the governor’s veto of the grocery tax credit is one example.

Another lesson is how quickly the Legislature can act, by suspension of rules, to pass legislation in the final days of a session. I understand how this may be necessary, but in my view it is not the Legislature at its best when this happens. This was something usually not covered in government texts.

In the end, as James Madison said, ” … government is the greatest of all reflections on human nature.” The process here is not perfect, it is only as good as we are.

My thanks to The Spokesman-Review for the opportunity to share my thoughts with you. I hope you have found these reflections worthwhile.